12 ^(11:12) “Efrayim surrounds me with lies
and the house of Isra’el with deceit.
Y’hudah still rules with God
and is faithful with holy ones.
^2 (1) Efrayim is chasing the wind,
pursuing the wind from the east.
All day he piles up lies and desolation —
they make a covenant with Ashur,
while sending olive oil to Egypt.

^3 (2) Adonai also has a grievance against Y’hudah;
he will punish Ya‘akov according to his ways
and pay him back for his misdeeds.
^4 (3) In the womb he took his brother by the heel;
in the strength of his manhood he fought with God.
^5 (4) Yes, he fought with an angel and won;
he wept and pleaded with him.
Then at Beit-El he found him,
and there he would [later] speak with us —
^6 (5) Adonai Elohei-Tzva’ot;
Adonai is his name!
^7 (6) So you, return to your God;
hold fast to grace and justice;
and always put your hope in your God.

^8 (7) “A huckster keeps false scales,
and he loves to cheat.
^9 (8) Efrayim says, ‘I have gotten so rich!
I have made me a fortune!
And in all my profits no one will find
anything wrong or sinful.’

^10 (9) “But I am Adonai your God,
from the land of Egypt.
Again I will make you live in tents,
as in the days of the established festival.
^11 (10) I have spoken to the prophets;
it was I who gave vision after vision;
through the prophets I gave examples
to show what it would all be like.
^12 (11) Is Gil‘ad given to iniquity?
Yes, they have become worthless.
In Gilgal they sacrifice to bulls;
therefore their altars are like piles of stones
in a plowed field.”

^13 (12) Ya‘akov fled to the land of Aram.
There Isra’el slaved to win a wife;
for a wife he tended sheep.
^14 (13) By a prophet Adonai brought Isra’el up from Egypt,
and by a prophet he was protected.
^15 (14) Efrayim has given bitter provocation,
so the penalty for his bloodshed will be thrown down on him,
and his Lord will repay him for his insult.